“Scaling is a strategic approach that makes it possible to multiply the social impact while ensuring the sustainability of the social enterprise ” (1)

When referring to scaling in the context of social enterprises, social entrepreneurship and social economy organisations it mainly refers to the increase of positive social or environmental impact, not just about becoming bigger or earning more money. While for conventional organisations growth means increasing turnover or profitability, scaling for social economy organisations “goes beyond the simple notion of growth” (1), it focuses on the ambition to maximize the positive changes, the creation of social or environmental impact.

Scaling is described as a “process” rather than a “state”(2), it is a strategic activity to choose the right way of achieving a social mission thus increasing social and environmental impact. Scaling helps an organisation reach more people, solve problems more effectively, and strengthen its long-term stability. Social and financial aspects are closely connected, because financial resources are tools to create impact – not the main goal.

Scaling is not something that all social enterprises need to do, rather it is an intended step that requires mobilisation of various aspects of the organisation and brings transformational change such as organisational structure, human resources and roles, the value proposition of the product or service.

Why to scale?

The main reason for scaling a social economy organisation is to increase its positive impact and provide stronger responses to social and environmental challenges. Scaling is not just about organisational growth, but about creating more meaningful and lasting change for communities and society.

Organisations may choose to scale for different reasons. Some aim to better respond to social needs, by improving how effectively they address problems and deliver solutions. Others focus on strengthening the impact they already create, by improving the quality or efficiency of their activities.

Scaling can also be driven by the ambition to reach more people, either by expanding within the same area or by bringing solutions to new regions or target groups. In some cases, organisations seek to influence the wider system, by shaping policies, practices, or mindsets to address the root causes of social challenges.

Finally, scaling can help organisations reach a level of visibility and influence where they can collaborate more effectively with partners and contribute to broader societal change. (1)

What are the different phases of scaling?

Scaling is not a single step, but a process that happens over time. Social enterprises often move through several phases as they grow their impact, and each phase builds on the previous one.

At the beginning, organisations focus on testing their idea in practice. This means trying out a solution on a small scale to see if it actually works and creates the intended impact. This stage is often called the “proof of concept”, where the main goal is learning and improving based on real experience.

Once the solution shows positive results, the next phase is about strengthening the business model. Organisations work on making their activities more efficient, and ensuring they can deliver impact in a sustainable way. This stage helps confirm that the solution is not only effective, but also viable in the long term.

Once these foundations are in place the organisation can move into the scaling phase. At this stage, the focus shifts to reaching more people or having a deeper impact, for example by expanding to new areas, working with partners, or influencing wider systems. This often requires changes in strategy, structure, and resources. (1)

It is important to note that this process is not always linear. Organisations may move back and forth between phases, taking time to adjust and improve before growing further.

What are the different strategies to scale?

Social enterprises can scale their impact in different ways, depending on what they want to achieve. These strategies can be grouped into three main perspectives: qualitative, quantitative, and systemic scaling.

• Qualitative scaling focuses on improving the depth and quality of impact. Instead of reaching more people, organisations aim to better meet the needs of their existing beneficiaries. This can include expanding services, addressing additional challenges, or offering more comprehensive support. It is about creating stronger and more meaningful change for the people already reached.
• Quantitative scaling is about increasing the number of people or places reached. This can happen by growing within the same area (reaching more beneficiaries locally) or by expanding to new regions or countries. The goal is to spread a proven solution more widely and make it accessible to more people who need it .
• Systemic scaling aims to influence the wider system. Instead of only delivering services directly, organisations work to change policies, practices, behaviours, or mindsets. This can involve partnerships, advocacy, or sharing knowledge so that other actors adopt the solution. The objective is to address the root causes of social problems and create long-lasting change at a larger scale .

In practice, many social enterprises combine these approaches, for example, improving their services while also expanding to new areas or influencing the system around them. (1)

Which strategy to choose?

There is no single “best” strategy for scaling. The right choice depends on the organisation’s mission, capacity, and the context in which it operates. Social enterprises can choose from several approaches or create a combination of strategies.

• Diversification – new activities are developed to strengthen or complement existing work. 
• Duplication – replicating a proven solution in new locations to reach more people.
• Fertilisation – sharing the knowledge or methods so others can apply them and multiply the impact. 
• Cooperation – working with partners to combine strengths and achieve more together.
• Merging with another organisation can help pool resources and increase overall impact.

In practice, many social enterprises combine different strategies. The most suitable approach is the one that best supports their social mission while remaining realistic with their resources and readiness. (2)

How to get started?

Before choosing a scaling strategy, it is important to understand how ready the organisation is for this step. The self-assessment tool “Scaling readiness: where does your organisation stand?” created in the framework of Scaling Catalyst project allows to assess key areas helping organisations to reflect on their strengths and identify what needs to be improved before scaling. The tool looks at several important dimensions, providing a clearer picture of where the organisation stands.